Dark Nights
by notTamiTaylor
Summary: Emma has some really bad nightmares one night. Will is there to help her cope. Set somewhere in season 3. Fixed chapter 2!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey y'all! This story is slightly AU, about Emma's past. What happens when Will is there for her during a night filled with horrible nightmares. **

_Emma drug herself to school. It was going to be another long, painful day. She somehow made it through most of her classes without any issues. Lunch was always so hard, but she was lucky, a certain glee club director let her eat in her office so she wasn't so overwhelmed. That's when she saw him, the curly haired sophomore, who actually smiled back. She actually had a pleasant conversation with her glee director that day. _

_She faked smiles and forced conversations the rest of the day. She got home and smiled at her little brother, he was still in elementary school. "Hey Zach" _

_He smiled at her and yawned, he wasn't feeling well but knew to keep quiet at school. "Hey Ems" _

_She smiled back, "how was school?" _

_"It was okay... I don't feel good Ems" _

_She sighed, and put her hand to his forehead, he was burning up. She gave him some Tylenol and made sure he'd had something to eat. She ended up staying home with him for three days. She tried calling their mom to get a doctors appointment but she ignored her. Their parents had been gone for two months now, but were sending money. She was trying to take care of her ten year old brother, but it was hard. She finally went back to school and her glee director noticed how worn out, and worried Emma looked. "Hey Ems, can we talk?" _

_She looked at the brunette woman, and ran. She didn't want to tell, so she sat in her beat up car, and cried. The woman made her way to the parking lot and saw Emma. But the teen drove away before she could get close. _

_The next day she was even more exhausted, she had a lot of homework and her brother couldn't sleep. She was walking to class when she heard football boys laughing and then she felt the sticky cold liquid drip down her head to her shoulders. She lost it, and just sunk to the floor in tears. She was so overwhelmed, with school, glee, and her brother that she couldn't do it any longer. _

_Will was in the group of athletes that slushied her, and he was daring enough to turn around. He ran to get the glee club director, since he knew Emma trusted her, and told hrs what happened. Lillian Adler was grateful that he'd told her, Emma seemed so overwhelmed. Lillian ran up to her, thankful that the bell had rung to start class. She knelt down, "Emma, hey..," _

_Emma cried, "go away" _

_Lillian sighed, "lets get you cleaned up, we can go to the faculty bathroom, it's cleaner" _

_Emma finally nodded and let the woman help her up, and see the full extent of the damage. "I have clothes in my locker..." The teen sighed. _

_"Go ahead and grab them, I can come with you" Lillian offered. _

_Emma looked at her with begging eyes, and Lillian smiled, squeezing the teens hand. She helped Emma wash the slush off of her and brushed her hair back into a ponytail. "What happened out there kiddo?" _

_Emma hung her head, "football boys. Slushie..." _

_Lillian nodded, "I'm glad you told me, so we can stop this" _

_She started to cry, "I just wanna give up, but I can't. My baby brother depends on me, I need that glee scholarship, and I just can't do this anymore" _

_Lillian sighed and put a comforting hand on Emma's knee, she was panicking, and it was good they were alone. "You don't understand! My brother needs me. He can't cook for himself, he can do most things, but not everything. He leaves me alone when my OCD flares up really bad, like last night. I scrubbed the bathroom floor in bleach. Twice" _

_Lillian just listened, "Emma, Emma. Stop. Take a big deep breath" _

_She tried but it was shaky, "I reorganized my locker ten times, my closet fourteen, and I haven't slept in four days" _

_The older woman sighed, "lets stop, breathe, relax"_

_Emma shook her head, "I can't. They're coming today, kitchen isn't clean. Living room is a mess..." _

_"Whoa, who's coming Ems?" Lillian asked. _

_"Dad and some friends..." She mumbled. _

_Lillian sighed, "Emma, what's going on" _

_She looked up, like a deer in headlights, "I've got to go, I just forgot I needed to clean his bathroom, it takes me four hours..." _

_She got up and ran away. Lillian was worried, so she quietly pulled up Emma's information and wrote down her address, it was in the nice part of town so she was confused. She drove to the house and saw Emma's car there, along with one other. She heard screams and the front door slam shut. Emma's little brother was outside. She got out of the car and walked across the street. The little boy ran to her, recognizing her from Emma's performance, "miss glee teacher!" He yelled. _

_She chuckled, "hey buddy, what's up?" _

_He shrugged, "sissy's been cleaning like crazy, won't stop. Dad won't let her. He's laughing" _

_"Has he hurt sissy?" She asked, worried about Emma. _

_Zach shrugged again, but Emma's scream told them otherwise. "Do you know how to call 911 kiddo?" _

_Zach nodded, Emma had taught him. "Sissy showed me" _

_"Awesome, now, I need you to do that for me, do you think you can?" She asked. _

_He looked terrified, "I can't..." _

_She sighed, "that's okay, you see the green car sitting there?" He nodded, "yeah" _

_She smiled, "that's mine. I want you to sit in the back seat until the cops come, okay" _

_He nodded and she helped him in the car. "I know your name isn't really miss glee teacher... Don't be mad" _

_She chuckled, "that's alright, I'm not. You can call me Ms. A, okay" _

_He nodded and smiled, "okay... I'm Zach..."_

_She smiled, and turned the car on. She called the cops and Emma came running out, "ZACH!" _

_Lillian ran to her and she started to cry, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I blew it. I won't get that scholarship now, or ever" _

_She sighed, "Emma, Emma, look at me. Breathe. Zach is fine, he's sitting in my car. What's wrong?" _

_She continued to cry, "don't let them arrest me..." She heard the sirens and ran back into the house, to clean up the blood. _

_Lillian quickly explained to the female officer what she knew and the other officer went to see Zach. The female officer and a few others slowly made their way into the house when they heard Emma's tears. "Don't arrest me..." She sobbed, still scrubbing the blood stained floor. The cops knew she was OCD, so they weren't surprised. The female cop knelt down, "Emma, hey. Let's stop." _

_Emma tensed up and continued to scrub. They told the other officers to check the rest of the house. "Hey miss Emma, look at me, you're safe"_

_The female officer sighed, thankful that her best friend was OCD. Emma was in full on panic mode, "it's not clean, don't you see?! The blood, it's everywhere!"_

_The officer sighed, "I see Emma, I promise you, I see it. But the paramedics are here now, to help him, and they have stuff that'll really clean this up" _

_Emma broke down and sobbed, "don't arrest me. Zach needs me, I can't. Just don't" she continued to scrub even after the paramedics started to work. _

_The officer gently put her hands on Emma's, "I'm not here to do that. I'm here to help you out of this, okay" _

_Emma continued to cry and the detective sighed, "what if I told you I understood what it's like to want everything clean, and perfect, and everything had to be in a certain place?" _

_She looked at the woman, "do you?" _

_She nodded, "yeah, I do. My best friend, who I've been friends with since second grade, has OCD. I've helped her through panic attacks, days where she just wants to clean and do nothing else, and sleepless nights" _

_Emma finally let go of the rag, "nobody gets it. No one. That's what started this..." _

_The woman nodded, "come on, let's get you outta here, there's s squeaky clean ambulance waiting on you" _

_Emma agreed and they wrapped her up in a police jacket. "Emmy!" Her little brother screamed, running from the ambulance. Lillian sighed, Emma looked worn out, and hoped she would crash soon. Emma picked him up, "is that Mrs. A?" _

_He nodded, "miss glee teacher!" _

_Emma smiled, "she's nice, you can sit with her for a while, okay?" _

_He nodded, "she called cops" _

_Emma smiled at the woman, thankful she was there. _

_Lillian came up and took the young boy from her and the detective lead her to the waiting ambulance, "he was really sick a few days ago..." _

_The paramedic nodded, promising they'd check on him. The paramedic helped her up onto the gurney and she started wringing her hands. The paramedics started instructed Emma to lay back so they could hook her up to some monitors but she refused. The officer reassured her that it was okay and held her hands as they hooked her up. The paramedics sighed when the monitor displayed a fast, irregular beat. He tapped on the window telling the driver to go, since they were the last ambulance there. Emma's panic attack was getting worse and more noticeable when the ambulance started to move. Her heart rate shot up and the detective squeezed her hand, "Emma, it's okay. Look at me, and just breathe" _

_The deceive quietly motioned for the paramedic to give her some oxygen and the man agreed. He explained to Emma what he was doing and she fought, but finally agreed to the oxygen mask. They helped her take deep breaths as they pulled into the ER. Debbie Schuester was waiting for the third ambulance in the last fifteen minutes to arrive, and knew this was the young girl. She looked terrified, sat there wringing her hands, and had blood on her arms. Debbie ran up to them, "hey Emma, my names Debbie, I'm one of your nurses" _

_Emma nodded, and started panicking when doctors swarmed her. "Everybody out! Dr. Howard, stay. Everybody else, leave, now" Debbie ordered, she was the head nurse, and often did that. _

_Emma seemed relieved that it was only the two women in the room instead of ten people. _

_Debbie quickly glanced at Emma's unsteady monitor and sighed, "Emma, can you lay back for me so I can check those monitor stickers?"_

_She sighed, but cooperated. "I'm gonna fix this one right here, it's sitting just a little too high" she explained. _

_Emma just nodded and Debbie smiled when the monitor started to even out. She helped through Emma through a simple physical exam and she was okay. Lillian came in and Emma yawned, "hey" _

_"Zach's a trooper. He's got flu like symptoms, but other than that, perfectly healthy" she explained. _

_Emma nodded, yawning again. "They said I'm okay, and want me to rest, but I can't" _

_Lillian sighed, "you can. You're safe here. I'm here with both of you" _

_Debbie came in, "Emma, blood with and x rays came back clear, you're good to go, but Dr. Howard wants you to get some sleep first" _

_She shook her head, "I'm okay.." _

_Lillian sighed, "Emma sweetie, it's okay to sleep, promise" _

_Debbie smiled, "mom, can we talk a minute?" _

_Lillian smiled and nodded, "sure" _

_Debbie stepped outside with Lillian, "when was the last time she slept?" _

_"She told me four days ago, but it could be more" _

_Debbie nodded, "I want to work with her and see if she can fall asleep on her own, but if not, I'd like to admit her and Dr. Howard can help her sleep" _

_Lillian nodded, "okay, she really needs the rest" _

_Debbie came back in and smiled at Emma, who was wringing her hands together. She pulled up a chair, "hey Emma..." _

_Emma yawned, "hi..." _

_"How're you feeling?" She asked._

_"It's not clean... I didn't finish. I need to go" she protested._

_Debbie sighed, "Emma, lets relax. It's okay. _

_Emma squirmed and whimpered, "no... I can't.."_

**A/N: random idea. reviews make me happy! And they also make me write more faster! Enjoy! **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey y'all! This story is slightly AU, about Emma's past. What happens when Will is there for her during a night filled with horrible nightmares. **

Will heard her whimpering from the bedroom, she'd been asleep for a good hour while he finished up some grading. He marked the B+ on the paper, smiling since it was an improvement, and got up to check on his fiancée. She was still squirming and mumbling. He sighed and put a comforting hand on her tiny shoulder.

_"I'll stay until you fall asleep, I promise" Debbie smiled, glancing at her monitors. _

_Emma shook her head, "no..." _

Will gently squeezed her shoulder, she'd met his parents that day and her and his mom seemed to have an instant connection, like they already knew each other. "Emma.."

This time he heard her mumble, "I'm fine... No..."

He sighed, brushing her hair away, "hey baby girl..."

She whimpered but her eyes fluttered open, and quickly shut.

He sat next to her, "it's me sweetheart. I know a bad dream when I see one miss Emma"

She opened her eyes and buried her head in the pillow, "she knows..."

He was a little confused, "who knows what?"

She shook her head, "you'll hate me. Think I'm worthless..."

He sighed, "oh no baby, id never think that..."

She sat up and started wringing her hands. "My secret... Your mom knows..."

He put a strong, but comforting hand on hers, "can you tell me?"

She whimpered, "don't wanna"

He rubbed her back, "I love you Ems, don't be afraid to tell me"

She sighed, "you haven't met my parents because... Well, they're in jail..."

He was a little confused, how did his mom know. He continued to rub her back, "oh honey..."

"You know how your mom was an ER nurse when we were in high school..." She started.

"Yeah.." He smiled, remembering her glee performances.

"That's why she knows my secret. When we were talking in the guest room, she wanted to know how I was doing..." She explained.

He nodded, "what happened when you went to the ER?"

Emma hung her head, "my... M... My d.. Dad... Tr.. Tried to... K... K..." She mumbled, and will sighed, ready to hold her close.

"Oh baby, I'm so sorry" he sighed, pulling her in for a hug.

She started to cry and he rubbed her back. "I haven't seen my baby brother in ten years..."

He hugged her tight, "because of what happened?"

She nodded, "my aunt gladly took him in. I was still freaky deaky with OCD. Nobody in the family wanted me..."

He pulled her close, and kissed her head, "you have me, and my mom, and dad. They loved you"

She gulped, "do you remember Mrs. Adler?"

He chuckled, "of course, glee director, nationals, how could I forget?"

She tried to laugh, "if you were to meet my mom from junior year until now..."

He was surprised, "She took you in?"

Emma nodded, "I coulda sworn she thought I was crazy. My OCD was so bad. She got me counseling, helped me through so many panic attacks..."

He smiled and kissed her head, "you're so much stronger than you think. I love you Ems"

She cried a little in his arms and he rocked her. "Let's have Mrs. A over for lunch this weekend..."

Emma shook her head, "we can't..."

He sighed, "why not?"

"She... S... She had a heart attack... Four years ago... I... Came home to her dead on the kitchen floor..." Emma whimpered, it terrified her, she sobbed on Lillian's body for two hours before calling anyone.

He held her as close as he could, "I'm so sorry Emma" he felt awful, she'd been alone for most of the years they knew each other, and it pained him. Emma sobbed herself to sleep and he called a substitute for both of them. He laid her down and covered her up. She squirmed and cried so he laid by her and pulled her close. He slammed the alarm before she could budge and left her asleep.

He went into the kitchen to call his mom, "hey..."

"Hey kiddo..." She smiled.

"I'm kinda worried about Ems.."

She sighed, when they talked she seemed okay, "what's wrong?"

"Did you know Lillian Adler is dead?" He asked.

Debbie sighed, "Poor thing. What happened?"

"Heart attack. Four years ago.." He explained.

She sighed, "I wasn't working that night... They told me my redheaded girl had come back..."

"She told me everything, about her dad, how Lillian took her in..." Will explained.

"There were a couple nights I saw miss Emma for at least a year" she sighed.

"Why?" He asked.

"Depression, anxiety attacks mostly, she never could calm down and breathe... They always asked for me..."

"How did you help her?" He sighed.

"I usually ended up sitting on her bed and guiding her through big deep breaths. I had to teach her what that meant the first few times" she sighed, remembering the scared little girl who couldn't breathe sitting on the bed.

He sighed, "I feel so bad, she sobbed herself to sleep last night after we talked"

"She spent several long nights in the ER with me, she's a pretty restless sleeper when she's upset"

He sighed, "I knew her when Lillian died, I'm not sure why she didn't mention it..."

"She really struggled Will, I got there the next morning and she wouldn't stop CPR..." Debbie explained.

"I feel awful, I suggested we had Lillian over when Emma brought her up..." He told her.

"You didn't know, but I'm glad you do. She was so upset" Debbie explained.

He sighed, "I'm trying to help her momma, she's still having a hard time. I called Figgins, got her a day off.."

"That'll be good, just help her relax, if she needs anything I'm off today..."

"Thanks mom, I'll let you know" he sighed, and hung up. 


End file.
